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Silas Upers ana marp Bpratn jlper$ 

Including tbe 

Jllden, jlpers and Bpratn famines 

Compiled for tDeir descendants bp 

Cbarles R» ilpers 

Detroit, iRicb. 



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This Genealogical Record is dedicated 

to my beloved father 

LEWIS HENRY AYERS, 

Grandson of Silas Ayers and Mary Byram Aycfs, 
'whose noble life and character has' been its iospir&tisn. 



'• Our glorious heritage, ancestral name. 

May it be ever kept tlie same. 

Pure, free from blot, iintaniished. as of old. 

Let others barter character for gold, 

I^t others run that madcap race, 

And forfeit their good name to win a place; 

We'll plod along, content and free. 

With fullest trust. O. God. in thee." 

B. F. AlforJ. 



PREFACE. 

Some few years a^^o I was prompted to start collecting what 
information was obtainable in regard to the history of the Ayers 
family, and with but a few meager facts to start with the search 
was begun, and by hunting through histories, and genealogical 
works, and corresponding with some of the older members, a 
complete record was finally obtained, and as this record is equally 
useful to several hundred descendants of Silas Ayers and his 
wife, many of whom have not the time nor opportr.nity to trace 
out their history, this book is published with the h-'pe ihat it 
may inspire pride in our noble line of ancestors, and create new 
interest in our respective family histories. 

To continue the history of the descendants of Silas Ayers 
and his wife to the present time would l>e a very difikult 
and almost impossible ta?k. as well as bringing into the book 
much material that would l;e of interest to only a limited 
number, and it was deemed best to build simply the founda- 
tion, by giving as nearly as possible a complete history of the 
ancestors of Silas Ayers and his wife, Mary By ram Ayers, and 
t(i include l>]ank pages on which each descendant could carry 
out his own particular line. 

The principal sources from which the facts herein set forth 
have been drawn are the following, "The Pilgrim Republic," 
by Goodwin; "History of Duxbury, by Justin Windsor; 
"History of Bridgewater, Mass.," by Mitchell; "Memorial 
of the Descendants of the Hon. John Alden," by Dr. Ebenezer 
Alden; "The Early Germans of New Jersey," by Chambers, 
and the "Combined History of the First Presbyterian Church 
of Morristown, N. J.," and "Five Colonial Families," by Mur- 
ray E. Poole. 

I desire to express my appreciation for the assistance ren- 
dered by Mrs. Harriet N. Harris, of Glendale, Calif., and also 
to Mrs. Cornelia Ayers Kingery, of Garden City, Kansas, who 
departed this life Mlay ii, 1904. 



To the Dcsccndiuits of Silas Aycrs and Mary Byrcim Aycrs. 

All who have descended through Silas Ayers and Mary 
Byram Ayers can trace their ancestry to twelve of the Fore- 
fathers (thi»e who came in the first three vessels), as follows: 

John Alden. \ 

William Moliiies, / 

W illiam Molines' wife, " Mayflower. Nov. 21, 1620. 

Priscilla Molines, \ 

Krancis Cook. / 

Mt'scs Simmons. }- Fortune. Nov. 20, 1621. 

Kxperience Mitchell, 

lane Cook. \ . 

"1 1 . /- I / ^"" 

Hester C(X5k, ( , ^, j , ^ 

Stephen Tracy, ( r -. 1 t •' - ' -» 

'r \ 'T I l.ittle ames. 

I ryplu^a 1 racy, 1 -^ 

Sarah Tracy. ' 

All siWh descendants are eli.eriblc to the following societies: 

Society of MayHozvcr Descendants, by right of descent 
from John Alden, William Mblines. his wife, and Priscilla 
Molines, and from Francis Cook, using the following as refer- 
ence for proof of descent, from John Alden down to Abigail 
-Mden of the fifth generation; "Memorials of the Descendants 
of John Alden," by Kl^enezer Alden, pages 1-4-8-14-25; also, 
"History of Bridgewater, Mass.," by Mitchell, pages 83-84; 
and for reference for the marriage of Mary Byram to Silas 
.Ayers, the "History of the First Presbyterian Church of Mor- 
ri.stown, N. J.," cmbined register, jxige 12; also the "Early 
(krmans of New Jersey," by Clhunbers, page 244. 

Society of Colonial Wars, by riglu of descent from John 
Alden, J<»seph .Mden. Francis Cook, Capt. Nicholas Byram, Jr., 
Samuel Fdscn, and many others of those early colonists whose 
names apjK-ar on the genealogical chart. 



WUIiain Molineii 
(Mavrtower) 

•Wife 

(MHvMower) 

7 Mi>stH .Siiiiiiions 
tortuiie. lt;21) 



l.'l Stephen Trai'v 
(James. ]t;j:{j 

Trvpljosa 
(James. K>2A) 



\ 



John Alden 
(Mayllower) 

Pri>rilla Molines 
( Miivtlowert 



I 



S Moses Simmons. Jr. 
Wife 

10 Samuel .\lleii 
Ann 

15 Geo. Partridge 

14 Sara 1 1 Trai-y 
(Jame?. l(;":>.n 



17 Dea. Samuel Eilson 
IS Susanna Orrott 



" 2 Joseph .Mdon 



)■ 3 Isaac Aide 



I . 



) Mav Simmons 



11 Deacon Samnel Allen 



fit; Sara 



\ 



h Partridp^e 



20 Rev. Jas. Keith 
[ lit Susanna Edson 



^12 Mehitable 



i-n. 



Jo.sepli Kti 



•27 Tlios. Hay ward 
Wife 



2:{ 
•_>1 

I 
:28 



John Fiihes 
Constant MitLiii-11 

John Howard 
Martha Ilavward 



35 Aliraham Shaw 
Wife 



40 Frani-is Cook 
( Mayllowi'r; 
Hester 
•Vnn. li;23) 



W. 



f 



Edw Fobeg 



30 Elizabeth Howard 
31 



3(1 

17 
IS 



4-2 



Nicliolas By ran), 
Sussanna Shaw 

l>('a Samuel E<1son 
Susaiuia ( )rfott 

'riioiiuis llaywanl 
Wife 



>2(J Elizabeth 



32 Nicholas I 



-37 Marv Kds 



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3S Dea .lose 



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Experit'Mi'o .M itclii-il ) 
(Ann. 1(123) 

Jane Cook 

(Ann. 1(123) 



.43 Haniiaii Ikf 



I 4 Kbenezer Akleii 



r 5 Abigail Alden 



^23 Anna Keith 



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33 Capt. Ebenezer Bvram 



Mary Byram 
married 
Silas Ayers 
Dec. 23. 1771 



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^34 Ebenezer Byram. Jr. J 



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Sons of the American Revolution and the Daughters , / the 
Anieriemi Re'i'oliition, l)y right nf descent from vSilas A\ers, 
who was a Private Minute M'an in the Morris County, N. ].. 
MdHtia; reference. "Soldiers and i^ailors of New Jersey in the 
Revolutionary War." by Stryker, pat^e 494; or, upon requcsr, 
the Adjutant General of New Jersey, at Trenton, will send you 
an official certificate statin.^- that the records of his office show 
that Silas Ayers was etirolled as 1 Minute Man. 

The Alden Kindred of America. This society was organized 
Sept. II. 1901. and all persons over sixteen years of age, who 
are' lineal descendants of John Alden and Priscilla Molines, are 
requested to send their names to the Secretary, M^rs. A. H. 
Sweet, Norton. Mass.. or to Mr. Augustus H. Alden, Boston, 
Mass., and a blank application will be sent. The registration 
fee is 25 cents and the yearly dues 50 cents. The Society at 
the present time has a membershij) of over 600, and it is hoped 
to make this noted familv organization the leading one in 
America. Reunions are held each year, that of 1903 was at the 
Alden house in Duxbury; 1904, in Plymouth, and 1905. ni 
Faneuil Hall, Boston. It is the hope of the Society to purchase 
the Alden homestead and grounds, and perhaps in time to erect 
a suitable monument to the noble founders of the family. 



ALDEN. 

The lines by which descendants of Silas Avers and Mary 
P.yram Ayers are descended from Jolin Aldcn and Priscilla 
Molines, hi> wife, is as follows: 

John Alden married Priscilla Molines, their son 
Jtiseph Alden married M'ary Simmons, their son 
Isaac Alden married Mehitable Allen, their son 
Elx?nezer Alden married Anna Keith, their daughter 
Abigail Alden married l",l>enezer Byram, their daughter 
Mary Byram married Silas Ayers 



1 JOHN ALDEN. 1599-1687 

As many able authors and historians have given so much 
lime and research to the history of John Alden. and written so 
many excellent articles, it would seem that any elaborate account 
of his manly Christian character, his hardships, and romance, 
would be unnecessary, and while these features of his life are 
very interesting and even fascinating, they deserve to be con- 
sidered at greater length than can be undertaken in this limited 
history. Mr. Augustus E. Alden, of Boston, has recently issued 
a lx)ok called "I'ilgrim Alden." which gives the most complete 
and interesting account of the life and history of John Alden 
and Priscilla, that has ever l)een written, and is a book that every 
<lescendant of this noble couple should possess. Briefly told, 
the important historical facts in the life of John Alden are as 
follows: 

His immediate family are unknown, but it is supposed by 
many that he was in some manner related to Rol^ert Allden, 
who was one of the London merchants known as the "Mer- 



chants Adventurers' Co.," who fnrnislied tlie financial l)ackin£T 
for the Mayflower expediticn. lie possessed an education far 
above the average at that time, and joined the Mayflower com- 
pany at Southampton as a cc^oper. He was the youngest man 
to sign the Compact made in the cabin of the Mayflower, the 
day the vessel came to anchor in Provincetown harbor (Nov. 
21, 1620), and was the last one of the signers to die. In the 
assignment of houses and the division into households he was 
associated with Capt. Myles Standish, whose house was the 
nearest to Fort Hill. He was married to Priscilla Molines m 
162 1 or 1622, and their daughter Elizabeth was the first white 
woman native to New England soil, and from her the poet 
Longfellow was descended. 

About 1627 he removed with ^lyles Standish and others 
and founded the town of Duxburv, a short distance from 
Plymouth. His original house was destroyed l>y fire and in 
1653 his Jonathan built the one which is standing to-dav and 
known as the Alden house. It is one of the oldest houses 
standing in New England, and can boast of the proud record of 
having housed a family of Aldens continuously from the time 
it was built. It is supposed that both John and Priscilla died 
in this house. 

In public office John Alden did his full duty to the Colony. 
In 1627, when he was only about 27 years of age, he with 
seven others, assumed the entire indebtedness of the Colony 
which was owing to those parties in England who had ad- 
vanced the money for the expedition. He was many times 
surveyor of highways, and acted as Agent for the Colony in 
many of its business affairs. He was appointed a member of 
the Board of Assistants to the Governor in 1632, and con- 
tinued until his death in 1687. 

From 1640 to 1650 he was Deputy from the town ot 
J^uxbury. In 1665 he was styled "Deputy Governor." He 



was often in the council of war for the Colony, particularly at 
the time of Kino[ Phillips' War in \66j. In 1643 he and 
his sons. John and Joseph, were enrolled aniono^ the eighty 
men forminij the military orp^anization of Duxhury. 

John Alden died Sept. 12. 1687. in tiie 88th vear of his 
age. The place of his burial is unknown, but it was most 
likely in the first Duxhury cemetery, which was abandoned 
in later years. 

Governor Bradford, in the entry in his jdurnal in 1651. 
states that John and Priscilla were the parents of eleven chil- 
dren, but the names of certain of these children are in doubt. 
Mrs. Chas. L. Alden. in her Alden Genealogy, presents the 
following list, which i> prol)ablv as nearly correct as is possible 
to give : 



n!lizal)eth. 


lx)rn 


I6J3-4; 


married 


1641. 


William Pabodie. 


-John, 


<< 


1626 




1660. 


Elizal:>eth F.verill. 


JOSEPH. 


t< 


1627 




1659. 


Mary Simmons. 


Sarah, 


K 


I62Q 






Alex. Standish. 


Jonathan. 


t< 


^(^^2-7, 




1672. 


Abi'^ail Ilallett. 


Ruth, 


<< 


1634-5 




16=-. 


John Bass. 


Rebecca, 


<< 


^^^37 








Priscilla. 












Zachariah, 


(( 


1 64 I 








Mary, 


»i 


1643 




1667. 


Thomas Delano. 


David. 


>( 


1646 




1670, 


Mercy South wort 



Very little is known r.f the faniilv of Priscilla jjrcvious to 
the sailing of the Mayn(.wcr. but it undoubtcdlv sprung from 
the Norman family of ^Tolyncaux or Molinc<, but wlietlicr 
from the French or bjiglish branch is uncertain, h is generally 
believed that William MoHucs and his wife, the parents of 
Priscilla, were members of a "W.alloon," c)r iMcnch Protest- 
ant Church at Levden. and that they sailed fr(^m I)elftha\cn 



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with the Pil,£;rims in the Speedwell. Tjie family consisted of 
William Molines, his wife, their son Joseph, and daughter 
Priscilla. A son, William, and a daughter, Sarah, remained 
in England. He is said to have been a man of culture and 
possessed considerable means for those times. 

The father died February 21, 1621, on board the May- 
flower, in Plymouth harlior. no doubt due to the hardships and 
exposure incident to the landing. Shortly after occurred the 
death of his wife and their son. leaving the maiden Priscilla 
an orphan in a strange w^ild land. All who claim relationship 
to this noble woman must be filled with pity for her at this 
trying time, when they slop to think of her sorrow and loneli- 
ness, as she saw father, mother, and brother buried on the little 
hill overlooking the sea, and the graves levelled over, that no 
one might know their resting place. Like others of that coui- 
ageous and noble little tend, she must have had a strong faith 
and a stout heart, and let us hope that in the honorable and 
chivalrous lives of her husband and children she found recom- 
pense and joy in her later years. She is said to have died in 
the old Alden house, but the year of her death is not known, 
although it was some time previous to the death of her husband. 



JOSEPH ALDEN 2 

Josqih Alden (2) was the son of John and Priscilla 
Akien, and was born in Plymouth in i()24. He inherited his 
father's share in the land at Bridsewater, and was one of the 
early settlers there. He married Mary (9), daughter of 
Moses Simmons, Jr., (8). His will is dated Dec. 14, 1696, 
and amounted to 76 pounds. He died Feb. 8, 1697, aged 73 
years. He had : 

(3) ISAAC, married Meliitable. daughter of Samuel Allen. 
Joseph, married Hannah, daughter of Daniel Dunham. 

1690. died Dec. 22. 1747. 
John, married Hannah, daughter of El)enezer White, died 
Sept. 29, 1730. 

And is supposed to have had l{lizaheth. who married 
Benj. Snow in 1691 and Mlary, wb.o married Samuel Allen in 
1700. 



ISAAC ALDEN 3 

Isaac Alden (3). son of Joseph (2). settled in East Bridge- 
water and married Mehitable (12). daughter of Deacon 
Samuel Allen (ii), Dec. 2. 1685. and had: 

Mehitable, l)orn March 7, i()Xy; married Benj. Richards, 

171 1. 
Sarah. Ixjrn Sept. 22, 1688; married Soth Brett. 1712. 
Mary, born July 20, 1691 ; married John Webb. 1720. 
Isaac, born Mtarch 10. 1692; bachelor. 
( 1 ) F.lil'Xl-.ZF.R. Ixrn June 15. iU)7,. 

John, born i^>94; married Hannah Kingman. 1727. 
Mehitable. l)orn March 7. 1687: married Benj. Richards, 

1725 
Abigail, born Julv 28, 1699. 
Jemima, born Jan. 7, 1702; married Deacon Thomas 

\\'hitman, 1727. 



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CAPT. EBENEZER ALDEN 4 

Capt. Ebenezer Alden (4), son of Isaac (3), was born 
June 15. 1693. He lived in East Bridg-ewater, and in 17 17 
married Anna (22), daughter of Joseph Keith (21). She 
died in 1775, aged 79 years, and he died in 1776, ag-ed 83 
years, and was the last surviving member of the first church in 
East Bridgewater, gathered in 1724. Their children were: 

Anna, born Feb. 19, 17 18; married Eleazor Washburn, 
Nov. 22, 1738. 

Susanne, born April 29, 17 19; married Ephraim Gary, 
Nov. 22, 1738. 
(5) ABIGAIL, born Dec. 27, 1721; married Ebenezer By- 
ram, Jr. (34), Nov. 22, 1738. 

Nathan, torn Aug. 10 1727; married Mary Hudson, 
ivqo. 

Ezra, born March 9, 1732; married Rebecca Keith, 1756. 



Families allied with Aldens. 

SIMMONS. 

(7) Moses Simmons (sometimes written Symons and 
Symonson), of Duxbury, was an original proprietor of Bridge- 
water, and sold his rights to Nicholas Byram. He came over 
in the ship Fortune, 162 1. He had: 

Moses, Jr. (8) ; died in Duxbury, 1689. 
Thomas. 

(8) Mbses Simmons, Jr., died in Duxbury, in 1689, had: 

John. 
Aaron. 
(9) Mary; married Joseph Alden (2). 
Elizabeth; married Richard Dvtelly. 
Sarah; married Jas. Nash. 



ALLEN. 

do) Samuel Allen, of Braintree, his wife, Ann, died 
1641 ; had second wife. Marjjaret. His will in i()69 names 
children : 

(11) Samuel, born 1632. 

Joseph, hc-irn . 

James, born . 

Sarah. Ixjrn 1639; married Lieut. Josiah Stand- 

ish. 
Mary: married Nathaniel Greenwood, 1655. 
Abi.i^ail. born ; married John Cary, 1670. 

(11) Samuel Allen, a deacon, and son of al)ove, settled 
in East Brid.q;ewater in 1660. and was the second town clerk, 
to whom we are much indebted for the fullness and perfection 
of the records. He married Sarah (16), daujThter of Geo. 
Partrid^^e (15), of Duxbury. alx)ut 1658. She was born in 
1639. He died in 1703, ag:ed 71. He had: 

Samuel, born 1660. 
Hssiel. \x)Tn 1663. 
(12) Mehitabel, Ixirn 1665: married Isaac AUcii 
(3). 1685. 
Sarah, b^rn 1667: married Jonathan Cary, after- 
wards Renj. Snow. 
Bethiah. Inirn 1669; married John Pryor. 
Nathaniel. lx>rn 1672. 
El^nezer. bom 1674. 
Jf>siah, l)orn 1677. 
Khisha. lx'>rn 1670. 
Nehemiah. Ix^ni 1681. 

TRACY. 

(13) Stephen Tracv. with his wife. Tryphosa, and dan.Qh- 
fcr. Sarah, arrived in the -hip James in Jul v. 1623. Thev came 
from cither Leyden or fn m Great Yarmouth, KnjT^land. In 
the Cattle division of 1627, their three names are mentioned, 



and also another dauohter. Rehecca. They were associated in 
this division with Francis Eaton and others. They removed 
later to Duxbiiry, His daughter, Sarah (14). married George 
Partridge. 

PARTRIDGE. 

(15) George Partridge came over in 1636 from the 
County of Kent, where he was possessed of an estate, and was 
one of the original proprietors of Bridgew'ater. He married 
Sarah, daughter of Stephen Tracy, in 1638. They had: 

(16) Sarah, born 1639; married Deacon Samuel 
Allen (11), '1658. 
Mercy. 

Tryphosa; married Samuel West, 1668. 
Ruth; married Adfilphus Thatcher. 1670. 
Lydia; married \\^i1]iam Brewster, 1672. 
John, born 1657. 
James. 

EDSON. 

(17) Deacon Samuel Edson and his wife, Susanna Or- 
cott (r8), came from Salem. They were married in 1637. 
He was one of the first settlers of Bridgewater and owned and 
probably built the first mill. He died in 1692. aged 80. His 
wife died in 1699, aged 81. They had: 

Samuel. 

Joseph. 

Josiah. 
(19) Susanna; married Rev. James Keith (20). 

Elizabeth ; married Richard Phillips of Wey- 
mouth. 
(37) Mary; married Nicholas Byraiii, Jr. (32), 
1676. 

Sarah; married John Dean of Taunton, 1663. 

Bethiah; married Ezra Dean of Taunton, 1678. 



KEITH. 

(20) Rev. James Keith, a Scotchman, was the first min- 
ister of Bridgewater. lie was educated at Aberdeen, in Scot- 
land; came over in 1662 at about 18 years of age. He was 
ordained in 1664. and married Susanna (19), daughter of 
Deacon Samuel Eds^n (17). It is said his first sermon was 
delivered from a rock in Mill Pasture, so-called, near the river. 
He had: 

James, born Dec. 5, 1669. 

JOSKPH. born Feb. 14, 1675. 

Samuel, born 1677. 

Timothy, born 1683. 

John, born 1688. 

Josiah. 

Margaret. 

Mary ; married Ephraim Howard. 

Susanna; married Mlaj. Jonathan Howard. 

His house, built in 1662. is still standing on River Street. 
\\'e-t Bridgewater. and his grave can be seen in the old grave- 
yard in the same town. 

His wife died Oct, 16, 1705. aged 65. He married a sec- 
ond wife. Mary, widow of Thomas Williams, of Taunton in 
1707, and he died July 23. 171'^ aged 76. 

(21) Joseph Keith, son of the above, married Eliza- 
beth (26), daughter of Deacon Edward Fobes. He was 
executor of his father's will and had his homestead, and was 
Representative in 1726. He had: 

(22) A.WA. l>)rn i6f>5; married Capt. Ebenezcr 

Alden C^V 1717. 
Susannri, lK>rn i(>^)J : married Jonathan Cnry, 

1717. 
Joseph, born 1699. 
Jemima. lx)rn 1701; married Deacon James 

Packard. 1722. 






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Eleazar, torn 1703; married Keziah Kins^man, 

1726. 
Abiq-ail, born 1705; married Robert Howard, 

" 1725- 
Ephraim, born 1707. 
Tchabod, born 1709. 
Martha, born 1711; married Constant Soutb- 

worth, 1734. 
Mary, born 1713; married Jonathan Kinorman. 

1732. 
Elizabeth, born 1715; married Samuel Lathrop, 

1731. 

FOBES. 

(23) John Fobes (from Duxbiiry) was one of the orig- 
inal proprietors of Bridg^ewater, where he died in 1661. He 
married Constant (24), a sister of Experience Mitchell. Thev' 
had : 

John ; died at George Allen's at Sandwich, in 
1661. 
(25) EDWARD. 

Caleb; went to Norwich. 

\\^illiam; married Elizal>eth Soiithworth in 1667. 

Joshua. 

Elizabeth. 

(25) Edward Fobes. son of the above, married Eliza- 
beth (30), daughter of John Howard (29). He died in 1732. 
They had : 

(26) ELIZABETH, born 1677; married Joseph 
Keith (21). 
John, born 1679; married Abigail Robinson, 

1704. 
Mary, born 1681 ; never married. 
■'' Bethiah, born 1683; married Samuel Keith, 

; 1703- 

* Hannah, born 1686; married Timothy Keith, 

1710. 
Ephriam, born 1688. 
> Joshua, born 1689. 

^ ' Benjamin, born 1692. 

/ William, born 1698. 



HAYWARD. 

(27) Thomas Ilayward came irum England in tlie same 
vessel with John Ames and settled in Duxbury before 1638. 
lie was made a freeman in 1646. He was an orit^inal proprie- 
tor and amonj^ the earliest and eldest of the settlers of Rrid^e^e- 
water. He died in 1681. His will is dated 1678. No wife 
living. He had: 

Thomas; married Sarah 



Nathaniel; married Hannah Willis. 
John; married Sarah. dnnLjhter of Ivxperience 
Mitchell. 
(38) JOSKPH: married Alice Brett; third wife, 
} lannah Mitchell. 
Klisha. 

Mary; married Edward Mitchell. 
(28) Martha: married John Howard. 

HOWARD 

(29) John Howard, with his brother James, came from 
Enfjiand and settled in Duxlnirv. He was amon.^- those able to 
l;ear arms in 16 j^. He was yonni^ when he came over ruid. it 
i.< said, lived in the family of Capt. Miles Standish. He was a 
man of mnch inlUience in the new plantation, and one of the fust 
military ofllicers in Brid^ewater. lie U«'k the oath of fidelity 
here in 1657. His descendants still own and live on the place 
where he first settled. He died abont 17CX). lie married 
Martha (28), dan'.;hter of Thomas Hayward. He had: 

John ; married Sarah Lathan. 

Jonathan ; married Sarah Dean. 

Sarah; married Zaccheus T\'ickard. 

Ephraim; married M\n-v. daniiliter of Tnmes 

Keitii. 
James; married Eli^aljeth Washbnrn. 
(30) EIJZ.ABETI I : mnrried Edimrd Fohcs (25). - 
Bethiah; married Henry Kinknian. "f aU-^JV fA^ . 



BYRAM. 

The line by which descendants of Silas Avers and Mani 

Byram Ayers are descended from Nicholas Byram is as follows; 

Nicholas Byram. married Susanna Shaw, their son 
Nicholas Byram. Jr.. married Alary l{dson. their son 
Ebenezer Byram. married Hannah I lay ward, their son 
Ebenezer Byram. Jr.. married Abigail, their dausiihter 
Mary Byram, married Silas Ayers. 

SH. NICHOLAS BYRAM. 3 1 

Nicholas Byram. according;- to family tradition, was the son 
of an English gentleman of some prominence, William H. By- 
ram and his wife, Mary, of the County of Kent, who ri.movcd 
to Ireland about the time this son was torn in 1610. His father 
sent him at the age of sixteen to visit his friends in England m 
charge of a man who betrayed his trust, robbed him of his 
money, and took him to the W^est Indies, supposed to have been 
Barbadoes, where he was sold to service tO' pay his passage, and 
after his term expired he made his way to New England in 
1633 or '34, and settled at Weymouth. He married Su- 
sanne (36), daughter of Abraham Shaw^ (3S)' "^ Dedham, 
about 1635. Ill 1660 he bought three proprietary or original 
purchase rights in Bridgewater. viz. : Moses Simmons, Phillip 
Delanos, and George Soules, and settled there soon after. He 
died in 1688. His wife died April 13. 1688-9. Their children, 
all born at Weymouth, were as follows: 

(32) Nicholas, Jr.; married Mary, daughter of Sam- 
uel Edson, January, 1676. He was born 
about 1640. 

Abigail, born 1636 or 1637; married Thomas 
Whitman, 1656. 

Deliverance; married Rev. John Porter, 1660. 

Experience ; married John Willis. 

Susanne; married Samuel Edson. about 1677. 

Miary ; married Samuel Leach. 



CAPT. NICHOLAS BYR.AM, JR. 32 

Capt. Nicholas Byram, Jr., born at Plymouth about 1640; 
married Mary {^7), dauo^htcr of Samuel Edsou (17), 1676. 
He and his wife were the eldest and the first named members of 
the church first instituted in East Bridgewater in 1724. Both 
died in September, 1727. Capt. Nicholas Byram (2) was said 
to have been a sea captain and one of the first settlers of Bridge- 
water, lie is said to have been a I rave and fearless man and a 
great Indian fighter, taking an active part in the Indian War, 
known as King Phillip's War, 1675. Probably died at Bridge- 
water. Their children were : 

Bethiah, born Oct. 27, 1678; died Nov. 20, 1685. 

Margaret., Feb. 26, 1680; died Nov. 20, 1685. 

Mehitable, born Sept. 28, 1683; married Elisha 
Allen, Dec. 3, 1701. 

A son, lx)rn 1685; dieil March 19, 1686. 

Nicholas, born March 11, 1687; married Ann, 
daughter of Thomas Snell, March 3, 1708. 
, Mary, born March 10, 1690; married Major Ed- 

■ ward Howard, Feb. 7. 171 1. 

(33) EBl^NEZER. born Oct. i. i6Q2pnarried Han- 
nah, dangliter of Joseph Afayward, Dec. 9. 
1 7 14; died Aug. 9. I753- 

Susanne, born Jan. 15. 1695; married Capt. Jon- 
athan Bass. Oct. 18. 17 1 7. 

Josiah. born -May 3. i6<;8; married liannah 
Richard, of Plymouth. 1720. 

Joseph, born Jan. 18. 1705; married Martha, 
daughter of David Perkins. 1724. 



CAPT. EBENEZER. BYRAM. 33 

Capt. Ebenezer Byram. son of Nicholas (32), Ixirn at Bridire- 
water, Oct. i. 1692; married Hannah (39), dauo;hter of Joseph 
llayward (38). Dec. 9, 1714. Rev. Georsre Whitfield held ser- 
\'iccs in Bvram's l)arn, heino: denied the use of the Brid^ewater 
Church. This produced much opposition and probably had 
something to do with Byram's removal on June iS, 1744. to 
Rocksiticus, in Morris County, N. J., a new section of the 
country, afterward called Mendhani. ] Ic there became Major 
of the militia and Judge of the County Court. He died at 
Mendham, N. J., Aug. 9, 1753, aged sixty-one. He was known 
as Capt. Byram, and was a staunch Presbyterian and a firm suj)- 
porter of the Colonial Government and of Civil and Moral L^w. 
Hannah Hayward (39), his wife, was born in 1691 ; died at 
Mendham. N. J., Jan. 11, 1761. Their children were: 

(34) EBENEZER, born 1716; married Abigail, 
daughter of Capt. Ebenezer Alden, Nov. 22, 

1738. 
Eliab, born 1718; married Phebe, daughter of 

Ephraim Leonard, 1741; second, Sarah 

Leonard, Oct. 23, 1749. 
Jophet, born 1720; married Sarah, daughter of 

Joseph Allen. 1742; had two other wives. 
Naphthali, born 1724; married Hannah Pratr, 

Sept. 24, 17J-I; died at Mendham in t 747-8. 
Hannah, born 1725; married I^lihu Baldwin. 
Mary, born 1728; married Aaron Tliompson, 

afterward Bcn.jamin Pitney. 
Abigail, born 173O'; married Daniel Thomp.son. 

afterward Benjamin Pitney. 
Jephthah. born 1732; married Susanne. daughter 

of Eleazar Washburn, Feb. 19, 1761. 

The village of Mendham is 6y2 miles southwest of Morris- 
town. Among the early settlers in the vicinity were the Byram, 
Cary, Thompson, and Drake families. The gravestone of the 



elder Ebenezer Byrani. which is now standing in the grave- 
yard, records his death Aug;. 9. 1753. aq:ed 61. When he came, 
the locality bore the Indian name Rocksiticus. The name of a 
Tavern which he established was "The Black Horse" from its 
sijjn. Tradition asserts that the neiqhlxorhood was rendered 
famous by the pranks of a wild crew of fellows who lived there. 
.Mr. Ryram having been tuld the nature of the society he had 
settled in. replied, "I'll mend 'em." an assertion he carried out 
literally ; hence the name MVndham. 

Historical Collections of New Jersey, by Barber and Howe, 
page 382. 

EBENEZER BYRAM, JR. 34 

Kljenezer Byram. Jr.. son of Capt. El^enezer Byram (33). 
was born at Bridoewatcr. Mass.. 1716; died at Mendham. 
Morris C< unty. X. J.. Sept. u. 1762. He married Abigail 
Aldcn (5). daughter of Capt. F.benezer Alden. and a great- 
great-grand-daughter of John Alden and Priscilla, at Bridge- 
water. Mass., Nov. 22, 1738. She was born in 1721 and died 
in Mendham. Oct. 19. 1762. They moved with his father 
and other relatives to a new section of Morris Countv. about 
eight miles west of Mhrristown. in 1744. He was much es- 
teemed as a magistrate, a Judge of the Quarter Sessions, 
Major of the militia, a chief settler, and supporter of the 
(jospel. They had ten children : 

Hlldaii, born 1739; died in infancy. 

HuLDAH, born Nov. 8, 1740; died Feb. n, 
1826, in Mfc'ndham. X. J. Married first. 
Col. Kbenezer Condict, March 16. 1762. 
He was l>irn 1736 and died from exjxis- 
ine while serving his country, April 2, 1777. 
Married second. George I'liillips, April 18, 
1782. He died July. 1784. 



Edvvard, born Jure ii, 1742; died 1800; mar- 
ried Phel^e Coe in New Jersey ; moved to 
Westmoreland County, Pa. ; was taken 
prisoner by tbe Indians April 7. 1779, with 
his daughter "Abby." They were not re- 
leased until the Sprino; of 1781. 

Ebenezer, born 1744; died ; married Ly- 

dia Guerin ; no record ; moved to Tennes- 
see in 1775. _^; 

Abigail, born Jan. 19, 1745; died Jan. 5. i(S23. 
Married Silas Condict as his second wile 
in 1 76-. PTe died Sept. 6. 1801. 

Naphtale, born March 13. 174Q; died June 24, 
1812. Married Amy Hedges about 1779- 
80. She was ])orn Oct. 28, 1746; died 
May 28. 1828. Both are buried at Morris- 
town, N. J. 

Anna, born Jan. 12, 1751; died July 8, 1826. 
Married, first. Peter Condict (brother of 
Ebenezer and Silas). He was born April 
3, 1744; died Julv 14. 1774. She then 
married Daniel Tichcnor. ATay 6. 1776. 

Joseph, born Aug. 22, 1753; died April 27, 
1829. Married Esther Douglass, Mhrcli 
21, 1776. She was born Oct. i. 1756. and 
died March 28, 1844. 

(6) MARY, born May 4, 1755; died Oct. 30. 18 19. 
Silas Ayers, Dec. 23, 1771. He was born 
Dec. 29, 1749; died Dec. 29, 1826. 

Phebe, born 1757-8; died Aug. 22, 1795. 
Married Edward Mills, May 17, 1778. 

Alden, born Eeb. 25, 1757; died young-. 

Alden, born Feb. 3, 1761 ; no record. 



Families allied with By rams. 

SHAW. 

(35) Abraham Shaw (of Dedham) made free in 1637. 
Mi> will in Boston records without date; inventory taken in 
1638 by W'm. Allen and others; Nicholas Byram and Joseph 
Shaw, witnesses. His sons were Joseph and John, his daugh- 
ters, Susanna. Mary, ard Martha; John and Martha being in- 
fants. There is ro wife named, probably dead. The sons had 
the estate at Dedlnm. the rest divided among all his children. 
Joseph Shaw and his brother-in-law, Nicholas Byram, granted 
to Robert Mason all their houses and grounds in Dedham in 
1630, and removed to Weymouth. 

HAYWARD. 

(38) Deacon Joseph Hayward, son of Thomas Hay- 
ward {2y), married first Alice, daughter of Elder W. Brett, 
and had Joseph, 1673. He had three wives, and had a daugh- 
ter Alice, 1683. His third wife was Hannah, daughter of Ex- 
perience Mitchell, by whom he had : 

Mlary. l3orn 1685; married Thomas Ames, 1706. 

Thomas, bom 1687, 

Edward, born 1689, 
(39) Hannah, born i6<;] ; married Capt. Ebcnczer 
Byravi (33). 17 14. 

Susanna, bfirn i6()5; married Jonatiian Pack- 
ard, 1 7 19. 

Peter, born 1699. 

.\bigail. b< rn 170J; married Zechariah Snell, 

COOK. 

(40) Francis Cook was one of the Leyden congregation, 
and came in the MViyflower with his .S(jn John. He was one 
of the 41 men to sign the Compact and took an active part in 
the affairs of the Colony. Gocjdwin in his "Pilgrim Republic" 




says that Francis Cook's wife, Hester, was a "Walloon." 
which was a name oiven the French Hu.G^nenots who were 
sheltered by the Dutch, and ,<;iven a home on the river "Waal." 
Hester Cook came over in the ship Ann in July, 1623, with her 
children, Jacob. Jane, and Hester. Another daughter, Mary, 
was born later in Plymouth. Goodwin says: "Francis Cook 
had expended a considerable estate in promotin.e;- the Colony. 
He died in 1663, ag-ed alxiut 81, at which time he had for years 
been a great grandfather. Hester, his French Wallon wife, 
survived him. His son John, a boy of the Mayflower, was 
living in 1694, and was the last surviving male passenger of the 
Mayflower. Francis Cook's house was one of the first twelve 
built in Plymouth, and was located l^etween the houses of 
Allerton and Winslow. The first let in the Cattle division of 
1627, fell to Francis Cook and his company, which was com- 
posed of his family, Moses Simonson, Philip Delanoy, Ex- 
perience Mitchell, John Faunce, Joshua Pratt, and Phineas 
Pratt. Francis Cook's daughter Jane (41) married Experience 
M'itchell (42). 

MITCHELL. 

(42) Experience ^Mitchell was one of the "Fore- 
fathers" (a name usually applied to those who came in the 
first three ships). He came over in the third ship, the Ann, 
in 1623. He sold his place in Plymouth to Samuel Eddy in 
1631, and removed to Duxbury, where he [)urchased Wm. 
Paybody's house and farm in 1650. He was an original 
proprietor of Bridgewater, but sold his share or property right 
to Thomas Hay ward. He came to Bridgewater late in life with 
his son Edward. He died in 1689, aged So. His will is 
dated 1684. He was at Leyden with the Pilgrims and left a 
brother Thomas, who lived and died in Holland. He had a 
share in the iirst division of lots in Plymouth in 1623 and of 



live stCKrk in 1627. He married Jane, daughter of Francis 
Cook, for his first wife. The wife of his old age was named 
Mary, biit her family name is not known. He had a sister 
Constant, who married John Fobes. The names of his chil- 
dren as appears from his will. detd. and other written docu- 
ments, were : 

Thomas. 

John; married Mlary Bonney. 
Jacob. 

Edward ; married Mar>- ITayward. 
Elizabeth; married John Washburn, 1645. 
Mary; married James Shaw. 1652. 
Sarah ; married John Hayward. 
(43) Hannah; married Joseph 1 1 ayicard (38). 



AYERS. 

The name in New England is generally spelled Aver; in 
New Jersey, Ayers, and in Old England, Eyre. Ft is also 
Eares, Eyer, Eyres, Eires, Eiris. Ayres, and even Hayers. 
and one of the old New Jersey records lias the name of Obadiah 
Ayers spelled "Obadiah Hoits." which is the Dutch for Ayers. 



Origin of the Name. 

In Thorpe's catalogue of the deeds of Battle Abbey is 
found the following: 

"Ayres or Eyre — The first of this family was named True- 
love, who was one of the followers of William the Conqueror. 
At the battle of Hastings, A. D. 1066. Duke William was 
thrown from his horse and his helmet beaten into his face, 
which Truelove observing, pulled off and horsed him again. 
The Duke told him, 'Thou shall l>e from Truelove called 
Eyre (or air), because thou hast given me the air I breath.' 
After the battle the Duke on inquiry concerning him found him 
severely wounded (the leg and thigh having been struck off). 
He ordered him the utmost care, and on his recovery gave him 
lands in Derby in reward for his serices, and the leg and thigh 
armor cut off for his crest, an honorary badge yet worn by all 
the Eyres in England." 

In Vol. 10, first series of Notes and Queries, is the follow- 
ing, taken from Rhodes, Peak Scenery, page 244: 

"The Evres are one of the oldest families in Derbyshire, 



where thev liave antinucd to res-ide nii re than seven hundred 
years, as appears from the followincr curious extract from an 
old i)e(H.e:ree which is preserved at Hassnp" (here follows the 
precetling- matter in reijard to changing^ the name), and he 
then adds. "The scat he lived at lie called Hope, because he 
liad hope in the greatest extremity." 

The Coat of Arms of the family now at Rampton is. Arg. 
on a chev. sa. three-quarter foils, or crest ; a leg in armour, 
couped at the thigh and spur. Mr. Carman says: "I have the 
coats of arms of all the families in England and they vary hut 
little from the alx>ve. and I am inclined to believe that the 
original Derby family now represented at Rampton is the one 
from which our Ayer is descended. From the coinparison of 
coats of arms, and some tedious researches in the old country 
histories of England, I am convinced a family of Eyre of Wilt- 
shire. England, is a branch of the Rampton family, and I give 
you Eyre of Wiltshire. The old Wiltshire family of Eyre 
enjoyed for several centuries the highest distinction within its 
native country, and was of consideration in the State, most ot 
its Chiefs having seats in Parliament, and two of them learned 
in the law. upon the Bench, one a L<ird Chief Justice of the 
Common Pleas. A branch also emigrated to Ireland and at- 
tained the Peerage of that country. 

Thomas Eyre, Esq., of New Sarum. lineally descended from 
Humphrey I.e Heyer of Bromham, Wiltshire, held lands in 
WimlMjrn. County of Dor.sct. in the 21st year of the reign "f 
Elizabeth. Hq married EHzal.eth. daughter of John Rogers, 
Esq., of Poole, and had issue." 

1. Robert, his heir, Ijorn I55<). 

2. Ciilcs. of Brickworth in Wiltshire, from wlifim came the 

extinct familv of Lord T\vre of Ireland. 



4 

5 

7 
8 

9 

lO. 



Christopher, horn T578, founder of Eyres Hospital at 

Sarum. 
Thomas, born 1580; Mayor of Sarum in 16 10. 
William, born 1588; Barrister-at-Law. 
JOHN, born 1587-90; moved to New England 1637. 
plizabeth ; married G. Tooker. 
Catherine; married Thomas Hooper. 
Rebecca ; married T<^hn Love. 
Anne; married John Swan. 

JOHN AYER 1 1587-90-1657 

John Ayer was the sixth child and the youngest son of 
Thomas Eyre, of Wiltshire, England, and his wife, Elizabeth 
Rogers, which Thomas was 5th in descent from Galpedus Le 
Heyer, in the time of Edward II. 

Among the emigrants arriving in Massachusetts Bay Colony 
from England during the time that Charles I. ruled without a 
Parliament were large numlTcrs from the vicinity of Ipswich 
and Haverhill, in Suffolk, Salisbury, in Wiltshire and Newbury. 
In establishing themselves in the new country they named the 
settlements after their English home towns. Thus Ipswich in 
Massachusetts was founded 1633, Newbury in 1635, Salisbury 
in 1639, and Haverhill in 1640. Conspicuous among these early 
settlers was John Ayer, who was born in Wiltshire, England, 
or possibly in Suffolk, between 1587 and 1590, and died at Hav- 
erhill, Mass., March 31, 1657, leaving a wife named Han- 
nah ( ?) who died July 13, 1686, aged 88 years. 

He is thought to have reached New England in 1637, and 
to have brought with him his wife and several children, and to 
have settled first at Salisbury, as he was living there in 1640. 
He moved to Ipswich prior to 1645 and in that year went to 
Haverhill, where he resided until his death, in 1657. His name 
generally appears in the Massachusetts records as Ayer, but is 
also frequently inscribed Eyres. 



Juhn Ayer built a house in Haverhill, which, together with 
its land, was valued in 1646 at 160 pounds, being the laroest 
aim«nnt but one on the list of freemen in llavcrliill in 1646. 
The plot faced the main highway on the north, its southern 
btundary being the Merrimac river. Since that time it has been 
continuously occupied by his descendants, the late Capt. John 
.\\er, its last ownier having been of the sixth generation. 

In 1645 John Aycr was amt>ng the 3 J land owners in Haver- 
hill, and on I'eb. 13. 1^)47. he was fined io: not attending the 
town meeting in season. 

On June 7. 1 65 J. he rtx^eived eight acres as his portion of 
the second distribution of t^nvn lands. On March 12, 1637. 19 
days before his death, he executed his will, which mentions six 
sons and three dauglrters. all living at Haverhill. The items of 
the inventory are heie given to show the character of goods pos- 
sessed by a well-to-do man of that time: 

".\ true inventory cf ye go( ds and cattell of John Eyers. 
Sr.. (jf Haverhill, lately deceased, as it was prized by us. Robert 
Clement and James Dennis, Sr.. and Henry Palmer ye tenth of 
ye second month one thousand six hundred and fifty-seven, 

Impremis — Power oxen 25-00-00 

fower cows, 2 steers an calf 20-00-00 

twenty swine and fower pigs 18-00-00 

one plough, j plough irons, one harrow 

one \(Xike and chayne and coil of nij)e. . 04-00-00 

two howes. two axes, two shovels and 

spade 01-00-00 

two wt'dges. two betell rings, two sickels 
and scope, ho k hargers in chimneys, tongs 
and pot hooker, two pot>. three kettles, one 
skillil. and out- fryiy pan 03-03-00 

in pewter oi-oo-(Xi 

72-16-00 



three flock beds and l>ed clothes 18-0000 

12 yds. ciittnn ddth. cotton wool, hemp 

and flax 04-00-00 

two wheels, thie^ chests and a cujiboard. . 01-03-00 

wooden stuff belonging to hcaise 01-16-00 

two muskets and all that belong to ye. . . . 02-10-00 

in hooks 15-00 

in fresh meats 18-00 

about fortie bushells of corne 07-00-00 

his wearing apparill 08-00-00 

about six or seven acres of grain in and 

upon the ground 09-00-00 

the dwelling house and barns and lands 
broken and unbroken with all appur- 
tenances 1 20-00-00 

forks, rakes and other small implements 

about the house and barne 01-00-00 

in debt owing to him 01-00-00 

between two or three bushels of salt and so 

mayls 00-00-00 

248-05-00 

The will was attested by TTcnry Palmer, the father of the 
wife of John's son Robert, and a fairly equitable division was 
made among the children of the real estate, which comprised 
two dwellings and a number of out-laying parcels of land. His 
wife was given tlie homestead during her life, and the major 
portion of his cattle and personal property. 

The homestead at the death of the widow was to go to the 
testator's son, John, chargeable with certain cash payments to 
his brothers and sisters. In the above inventory no mention 
is made of a second house and house lot. which, by the will, was 
given to his son, Nathaniel, "When his apprenticeship is out 



vsitli his master French." During Hannah Ayer's wiilowhoocl 
she appears to have been active in aftairs, purchased and sole* 
kinds, and previous to 1675 buih a new house "on the com 
nions." 

His children were, Joiin, Nathaniel. Hannah, Rebecca, Marv. 
Robert, Tliomas, Oba(Hah and Peter. 

OBADIAH AYERS 2 1635-6 1694 

Obachah Ayers. son of John I., was the founder of the Ayers 
family of Xew Jersey. He was the fifth son and is supposed 
to have been born in England in 1635-6 and to have hved with 
his father in Haverhill, Mass.. where he married on March 19, 
i66i, Hannah Pike, daughter of John Pike, of Newbury. Mr. 
Meliick in his "Story of an old Farm" states on j)age 108, "John 
Pike. Daniel Pierce and seven associates from Newbury, Mass., 
entereil into an agreement on Dec. 11. 1666, whereby on the 
3rd day of December, 1667, they received from Gov. Carteret 
and some of the Elizabeth town associates a grant of land, em- 
bracing what is now the town of Woodbridge. They as the 
representatives, of at least, sixty families, un the first day of 
June, 1690. were granted a charter creating a township cover- 
ing six square miles. The name of their new settlement was 
derived from their pastor. John W'lodhridge. of Newbury. 
Among the jiersons who were alloted lands were John Pike, 
Daniel and Joshua Pierce. Obadiah Ayers, Henry Jaques. 
Tlujnias Bl<Hjmfield. Elisha Parker. Richard Wdrlh. John Whit- 
akcr, Jonathan Dunham, Ilugli Dun and Robert \'an Ouellen." 

(Jbadiah Ayers sold his homestead in 1 laverhill to his 
brother, Nathaniel, May 5, i66<>. and on the 8th of .\ugust, the 
same year received a grant of 171 acres of land embracing uo 
acres of ujjland to the northward of Langston's plains or farms, 
30 acres (jf marsh on the Raritan meadows, 5 acres of meadow 



!3 

I— *■ 
I— '• 

o 
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C/3 




on the nortli side of the montli of the Pa])ic creek and a house 
lot of 1 6 acres, bounded on the south l)y the house lot of his 
brother-in-law. Richard Worth, on the west by the hio;h\vay. 
and on the east by a "fresh bro; k running at the foot of Strabara 
Hill." This Strabara Hill is the place now owned by Hampton 
Centre in Woodbridge. and a small creek divides it from the 
former house lot of Obadiah Ayers. The certificate of survey 
of these lands recites that the several parcels were laid out "By 
virtue of the Governor's warrant, for Obadiah Heirs" in like 
manner his name is spelled on several legal documents, though 
generally he is mentioned as Ayers. He seems to have been 
a man of affairs, his name frequently appears as grantee and 
grantor in conveyances of land. In 1684 he was a member of the 
Grand Jury and in the same year the town authorities laid out 
for him an addition of 8 acres of upland at Shingle Hill. 

In this survey his name is inscribed as "Obadiah Hay res.'' 
On July 30, 1673, a Dutch Squadron with little or no oppo- 
sition secured from the English the submission of New York 
and all its dependencies, including New Jersey. On Sept. i, 
1673, the inhabitants of Woodbridge submitted to the Dutch 
council of war at Fort William Hendrick the names of six lead- 
ing citizens, from whom schepens or magistrates were to be se- 
lected as representatives of the new government. The three 
men chosen on Aug. 24 and sworn in on Sept. i, 1673, were 
recorded as "Samuel Dennis, Obadiah Hoits and Stephen 
Kent." The name of "Hoits" was the Dutch rendering of 
Haires, which was the equally erroneous manner that the name 
Ayers was submitted to the Council. On Jan. 16, 1686, 
"Obadiah Hayers" was chosen constable. 

His wife, who was Hannah Pike, w-as the daughter of John 
Pike, who removed with his family to New Jersey as stated 
above. John Pike was the son and second child of John Pike, 
who emigrated from Langford, England, and died in Salisbury, 



Mass.. in 1654. John Pike— j— nKirricd first Maiv ( ?>), by 
whom he had nine cliildren. he married second EHzabeth Ivau- 
dolph, of Piscataway. X. J., in 1685. he died in 1689. and was 
the ancestor of Gen. Zebnlon Pike of the Revohitit)narv War 
and of his son. Gen. Zebulon Pike who (hscovered and named 
that lofty peak of the Rocky Monntains. 

(^bachah Ayers received on his father's rights, certain land 
in the fifth division of the common land at Haverhill, and his 
name is mentioned several times in the history of that town. 
His wife was born April 26, 1643. at Xewbury, Mass.. and died 
May 31, 1689. in W'oudbridge \. J. 

Obadiah Ayers died at WotKlbridge Nov. 14 i()94. his will 
is dated Nov. 10, 1694. 

Children : 

{y John, born March 2. 1663, at Newbury, Mass. 
Sarah, born March 5, 1665 at Newbury Mass.; 

died in infancy. 
Son born Nov. i. 1666. at Newbury, Mass.; died 

in infancy. 
Samuel, born Se;it. 13. 1667. at Newbury. Mass.; 
died in infancy, 
i^badiah. born Octoljer, 1670. at Woodbridge, 
^ N. J. 

Joseph, born Aj):il 4. 1674. at Wc^odbridge, N. J. 
Th'-mas. born Dec. 17. 1^7^. at Windbridge, 

^^ J- 

Mary, born h>l). 16. 16S0. at Woodbridge, X. J.; 

mairied W'm. Ilsley. 
liannah, born Sept. 7, 1683, at Woodbridge. 

N.J. 
Sarah, born Sept. 7. 1^)85. at Woodliridge. N. J. 



JOHN AYERS 3 1 663- 1 732 

John Avers (3), son of Obadiah (J), jnhn (i), was born 
at Newlmry, Mass.. March 2, 1663. He married Feb. 24. 
1689-90, Mary Walker. 

He received bv bis father's will 60 acres of farm land at 
Woodbridge. X. J., together with bis ri^-ht of commonage, 
and ten acres of land the fadier had bouo-ht of John Clement. 
On Feb. 28tb, 1708, John Avers was admitted to membership 
in the Presbyterian Cbnrcli at W'oodbridge. under the pastor- 
ate of Nathaniel Wade, his wife becoming- a member on Dec. 
26th of the same year. In 1717 he purchased land in ?(!mer.=;ef 
County, N. J., and within three }cars he remdved to and pei- 
manently settled at Basking Ridge in I Bernards township i" 
that County, where he was nndciibtedlv among the very early 
settlers. He was accompanied b\- all of his children, except 
his son Thomas, who had married and remained at W<><)d- 
bridge. John Ayers and his sons became active and leading 
men in that vicinity, especially in affairs connected with the 
Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church. 

In 1 73 1 he conveyed to seven trustees of that congrega- 
tion, one of whom was his son Oljadiah. one and one-half acres 
of land, in the center of which, surrounded by a grove of trees, 
stood a log meeting house. This primitive structure was super- 
seded in 1747 bv a frame edifice that remained for 90 years. 
For 120 years John Ayers' descendants were identified with 
the interests of the congregation, as late as 1818 four families 
being members of it. Rev. John C. Rankin, in an historical 
address, delivered Aug. 11, 1872. in speaking of John Ayers 
and his posterity, says : 

"Now^ the very name has passed away from us; though 
many of the descendants are doing good in other places. We 



owe them a debt of gratitude which should never be for- 



gotten." 



John Avers died without a will, letters of administration 
having been granted to Andrew \\'o<Klman. Nov. 30. 1732, 
**on estate of John Eyers." The Basking Ridge descendants 
seem generally to have adopted tlie spelling of the name 
Avers or Ay res. 

John Avers died Oct. 4th. I73-'. and his wife Oct. 24th. 

1739- 

A toml>stone which is back of and partly under the Pres- 
byterian Church at Basking Ridge has this inscription : 

'"Here lies ye body of John Ayers. Esr|.. who departed this life 
Oct. ye 4th. 1732, in ye 6gth year of his age." 

"Both Church and State have suffered loss, 
Dear friend, by thy decease, 
(evidently a line is lost here) 
To thee but endless peace. 
Above the skies our friend is fled 
Where peace forever reigns. 
Though for a while among the dead, 
His sleeping dust remains." 

Near this stone is one inscrilx^d to Mkry, his wife, who 

died Oct. 24th. 1739. in the 76th year of her age. 

Their children were : 

L John, born April 1, 1691. 
^Thomas, born Jan. 21, 1693. 

Obadiah, Ijorn i6<)5. 

I'aticnce, born .\pril 22, 1697. 

Francis, born March 15. 1698. 

Nathaniel. lK)rn March 4. 1700. 

Benjamin. lx)rn June 19, 1703. 
"^ Moses, Ixjrn Jan. 3. 1706. 

.\aron, l)orn July 14, 1708. 



JOHN AYERS 4 1 69 1 - 1 759 

John Avers (4) (John, 3, Olxidiah. 2, John, i). \va.* 
born at Woodbridge, N. J., April i, 1691. He was married 
Jan. 17, 1716-17, to Mary Creshon. 

On Oct. 3, 1710. he was admitted to membership in the Sec- 
ond Presbyterian Church, of Woodbridge, located at Metuchen. 
He remcived to Somerset Co., with his father in 1737, and 
leased from Jas. Alexander, the father of Lord Sterling and 
John Bird, land at Basking Ridge, with privilege of buying. 

John Avers (4) died at Basking Ridge Oct. 4, 1759 — wife 
died Oct. 24. 1759. 

In 1755 he appears to have been a trustee of the Basking 
Ridge congregation, as in that year Jas. Alexander conveyed 
lands to him in trust for the Presbyterian Church. 

Their children were: 

John, born at Basking Ridge, June 4, 17 19. 
Silas, born at Basking Ridge, 1724; died Sept. 
29, 1748. 

JOHN AYERS 5 1719-1777 

John Ayers (5) (John, 4, John, 3, Obadiah, 2, John, 
i), was born at Basking Ridge, N. J. June 4. 1719; he married 
first Joanna , by whom he had the following children : 

Enos.. 

Isaac born 1743; died June 7, 1794. 

Mary, born Sept. 21, 1744; married Fred King 
Nov. 23, 1762; he was the first postmaster 
of Morris Plains; they had five children; he 
died April 4, 1796; she died Sept. 28, 1825. 

Hannah, born 1746; married Dec. 26, 1771, 
Epenetus Beach; she died April 14, 1777, 
of smallpox, also two of her children. 

Sarah; married Silas Stiles, Dec. i, 1768; had 
two sons. 

Silas, born Dec. 29, 1749. See Silas Ayers (6). 



The second wife of John Avers was Sarah Bailey it Baih'es. 
whom he married Jan. 17. 1754, and by whom he had the fol- 
lowing children ; 

Phehe. i)orn 1754; niarrieil John Cniilift" Anj^-. 

10. 1775. 
Elizabeth, b rn 1760; married Rev. .\Iex. Miller 

April 23. 1786. 
.•\nne. born 1762; mariied Jahez Beach Jnly 10. 

1774. 
Elisha. born 17<^>4; married llannah Dennis and 
died Sept. 22, 1798. 

John Ayers' name is freqnently menti(^ned in tlie History 
of the First Presbyterian Chnrch. of Morristown. X. J., and the 
records show him to have been a rnlinf^ Elder in 17^)9. and 
among the subscriptions taken Jan. 5. 1769, for the aid nf 
Princeton Cnllege his name appears as contrilniting nine pounds, 
which was a large sum for tlio.se times. 

His name is recorded in the Military records of New Jersey 
as a Private Minute Man in the Morris County Militia, also Pri- 
vate in the New Jersey State Troops. He died at Morris 
Plains April 29. 1777. of smallpox, which was very fatal at this 
time and carried off large numbers of Washington's army, which 
was encamped at Morristown that winter. 

His will, made .\pril 14. 1777. is recorded May 3. 1777. in 
Trenton Lib. 18 fol. 317 




MARYBYRAMAYERS 



1755 



iei9 



SILAS A VERS 6 1 749- 1826 

Silas Ayers (6) (J<hn, 5, John, 4, John, 3, Ob.-uhrih, 
2, John, i), was born at Morris Plains X. J.. Dec. 29, 
1749. He was married Dec. 2^^, 1771. to Alary Byram. who 
was a daughter of Ebenezer Byram, J v.. and his wife, who was 
Abigail Alden, a oreat-granddaughler of John Alden and Pris- 
cilla, of the Mayflower. Mary Byram Ayers was born May 4, 
1755, and died Oct. 30, 18 19. Thev lived at Morris Plains, 
which is about two miles from Morristown. The}- were both 
members of the First Presbyterian Church of Morristown, and 
the published records of the church give the date of their mar- 
riage admission to membership and the l)irths and date of 
baptism of their thirteen children. The Military records in the 
Adjutant General's office of New Jersey show that Silas Ayers 
served as a Private Minute Man in the Morris County. New 
Jersey, Militia during tlie Revolutionary War. He died at 
Morris Plains, on his l)irth(lay, Dec. 29, 1826. Their children 
were : 

1. Abigaii., l)orn Nov. 28, 1772; died, unmanied, Feb. 
18, 1812. 
II, Ebenezer Byram. born Miay 11, 1774; married Abi- 
gail Byram Nov. 3, 1797. They lived near Mor- 
ristown, N. ]., until 180O', when they moved to 
Newburg, N. Y.. from which place they removed 
in 1814 to New Lexington. IYmtv County, Ohio. 
His wife died here Aug. 23, 1830. Later he mar- 
ried Janett McKeney, who survived him and died 
at the age of 8^ years. He died March 20, 1853. 
His children w-ere: 

1. Phebe, born Dec. 10, 1798; died Sept. i, 

1799. 

2. Amy, born Feb. 28. 1800; died . 



7^. Mary. Ix^rn Oct. 22. 1801 ; married John 
Cummins. 

4. Tames Corey, born Sept. 19. 1803: died 

Sept. 26. 1804. 

5. Phebt. born Dec. 13, 1804; died, unmar- 

ried, Dec. 22, 1888. 

6. Amy Hedges, born Dec. 6. 1806; married 

Jacob Kceder W'esterfield. of Eaton, 
Ohio; removed later to Knoxville, 111. 
Beth died August. 1852. 

7. Huldah Ann, iKjrn Feb. 3. 1810; married 

John D. Miller of Eaton, Ohio, where 
she died Aug. 6. i860. He married for 
his second wife Mrs. Susan D. Cook, 
who died in 1883. He died in Glen- 
dale, Calif., Oct. 23, 1884. 

8. James, born Oct. 26, 181 1; married Alary 

Utz. 

9. Abl)v. lx)rn Miiv 10, 1814; died June 10, 

18 14. 

HI. Sar.mi, l)orn Nov. 28. 1776; died, unmarried, Jan. 8. 

1847. 
IV. M'.\RY King, born Mlarch 2. 1779; married John Day, 
of Morristown, N. J.. Jan. 12. 1799. After 1813 
they removed to New Albany, Ind. John Day was 
IxDrn Jan. 15, 1775; died Oct. 9, 1837. His wife 
died Dec. 29, 1852. Their children were: 

1. Elizaljeth, born Oct. 12. 1799; married 

Sept. 20. 1819, Lewis Fairchild. 

2. Lavina, born July 9, 1802; married Nich- 

olas Allen, May 26, 1820. 

3. Joanna Kilchell, born May 6, 1804; bap- 

tized Oct. 21, 1804; married Henry B. 
Shields, June 2, 1825. 



4. Mary Byrani, Iwrn Ai)ril 28. i(So6; died 

Nov. 3. 

5. Mary Bvram. born Au|2^. 2, 1R07; married 

Aus^. 18. 1829, Rev. Seth Otwell. of 
Carlinville, 111. 

6. Jane, born June 2, 1809; died Aug. 12, 

1834. 

7. Ezekiel Reeves, born Aug. 23, 181 1; died 

March 14, 19001; married first Mar- 
garet Bullen ; second, Lucinda Myreck; 
third, Elizabeth Carney, who died April 
4, 1903. 

8. Silas Condict, born July 29, 1813; mar- 

ried Harriet Newell McClung, Oct. 5. 
1837. He died Feb. 17, 1886. His 
widow is ?till living (1905) in New 
Albany, Ind. 

9. Abby Ayers, born July 9. 1815; died at 

New Albany, Ind., Jan. 18, 1896. 
Married Oct. 5, 1835, to Ferdinand 
Graham. 

10. Amzi Aycrs, born Oct. 9, 1820; married 
Cornelia E. Alexander Nov. 5, 1846. 
She died Oct. 30, 1866. He died Dec. 
27, 1890. 

V. Hannah, born May 12, 1781; married Jan. 3, 1801, 
to Isaac Pierson, of Morris Plains, N. J. Re- 
moved to New Lexington, Ohio, about 18 14. She 
died there in March, 1834. Their children were: 
B>Tam, Rebecca, Mary, Timothy, Sarah, Jane, 
Phebe, Ann, Silas. 

VI. HuLDAH, born July 17, 1783; died Nov. 15, 1783. 



MI. Hii.DAH, born Sept. i. i7>^-i: married John Avers. 
Feb. 26. 1829. She died at Flanders. X. ].. Aui;. 
19, 1868. He died May 5. 1867. They had no 
children. 

\'1II. Sii..\s CoNDiCT bom Feb. u. 1787: married Zilpah 
Laycock. Jnly. 181 1. He died Oct. 6, 1842. 

TX. J(»ii.\ RvRAM. burn March 27. 178c): died at Defiance. 
0.. Oct. iS, 1839. Married Jane Frudden .\ugust. 
1812; removed from Morristown, N. J., to Ohio 
in 1817. and some years later went to Texas, 
where his wife died in 1845. They Ind the follow- 
ing children : 

Joseph Prudden. born 1813; married ( i) Mar- 
gaiet Stiles. (2) Mary Jane Myers. He 
died 1892. 

Esther Ann, horn April 29. 1815. 

Alfred .\., born 1819; married Clara Porter Jan. 
21. 1857. 

Sarah Louisa; married Plifer; left no children. 

Huldah; married Ayers ; died about 1870; no 

children. 
Silas. 
Joana. 

X. Eli AS. born March 17, 1791 : in early manhood he went 
to Louisville. Ky.. and was one of the early settlers 
of New Albany, I ml., where he met Miss Mary Ann 
Silliman. and was married to lier July jj, 1819. 
They had eight children, all of whom died young. 
He died Jan. 5, 1842; his wife died June 4, 1878. 



XT. David, hnni Ani;. lo. 1793; married Ann M. Smith 
Sept. 3, 181 5. lie removed with his family to 
Texas, in 1834, and die! in Galveston in 1881. 
Thev liad the U lluwinrr children: 

I. Gecrge S., hdrn July 7. 1817; died Xov. 



25. 1818. 



2. Mary Ann. h( rn Jnly 22, 1810: married 

L. P. Moore. 

3. Ehza, horn March 2r>. 1821 ; married Roht. 

Alexander Jan. 25, 1838. She died 
Aug. 30. 1878. He died April 27, 1882. 

4. Sarah S., Iwrn Nov. 12, 1822; married 

Maj. Moses Park. Dec. 10. 1840. He 
died in Galveston in 1856. She died in 
Laredo, Tex., April 28, 1905. For 25 
years she was secretary of the Woman's 
Board of Missions of the Texas Confer- 
ence. 

5. Caroline M. K. B., horn Oct. 28. 1824: 

married Rufns Camphell. 

6. Francis PI., horn Jan. 26. 1827; married 

Mrs. Hattic Watson, of Arkansas. 
They lived at Temple, Texas, where 
both died previous to 1900, leaving one 
daughter, Mrs. Annie D. Booker. 

7. David Theodore, born Julv 21, 1828; 

married Mary E. Hall. Their home 
was in Galveston, Texas, where he died 
Oct. 21, 1897, and his wife on Jan. 
19, 1901. 

8. Crawford P., born July 14, 1844; died 

Aug. 22, 1844. 
Xn. Phoebe, born June 18, 1796; died July 29, 1796. 



XIII. Lewis, born Oct. 6. i^gS. at M] uris Plains, N. J.; 
was married to Rel>ecca Oslx^rn at Geneva, N. Y.. 
Nov. 2. 1824. He removed with his family to 
Texas in 1834. and tLR^k an active part in the 
Texas War for Indeix-ndencc. l)eing a member of 
the first Proviiiional Government and Assistant 
Onartcrma>ter-General umler Col. Fannin. He 
died in Mobile. Ala.. Oct. if. 1866. His wife 
died in Detnat. Mich. April 10. 1877. '^'li^u 
children were : 

1. Charles Auo;ustus. born Sept. 12, 1825; 

died June 12. 1826. 

2. Mary Klizabeth, born Auq. 27. 1827; 

died Oct. 7, 1836. 
3- Helen Louisa, born Xov. 12, 1829; died 
Jan. 8. 1896; unmarried. 

4. Cornelia Maria, born Jan. 16. 18 ?2- mar- 

ried Theo. P. Robison. Mav 10 18c; 3. 
He died Sept. 22. 1865. She is one of 
the two orand children of Silas Ayers 
and Mary Ryram Ayers, now living 
(1905) in Detroit, Mich. 

5. Charlotte Sophia, born Jan. 8. 1834; died 

Oct. 19. 1836. 

6. Delia Caroline, lx)rn Mav 16, 1836; died 

Oct. 26. 1836. 

7. Lewis Henry, lx)rn Dec. 24, 1837; mar- 

ried Mary J. Riker, Dec. 5, 1864. Both 
now living (1905) in Detroit, M-ich. 

xl 5^ '■ 5. S. 



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